Monday, November 27, 2006

Monday P.M. Quickie

Cleaning up today's emerging storylines...

Bama job open: I wonder if they'll go after Spurrier and/or Schiano and/or Rich Rodriguez. Whoever it is, there better be some sizzle.

UCLA is new college hoops No. 1: Eh, it's as good as any, I guess. Who else thinks it's a little ridiculous that Butler wins the NIT but only debuts at No. 19? Why don't we ask UNC, Tennessee and Gonzaga where Butler should be ranked?

Saints-Cowboys is NFL 12/10 "flex" game: I believe it was that first Saints MNF game with the boffo ratings that had me saying that the NFL/NBC would absolutely grab the Saints if they could. It's icing that the game will actually be consequential.

Irvin story, cont'd: He's on Dan Patrick right now. Be interesting to hear what he says -- if it makes any sense at all. It might take others to spin it smoothly for him.

Update (3:17 p.m.): I've tossed in a Comment on this post that includes my Heisman ballot. Here's a sneak peek: (1) Dwayne Jarrett, (2) Darren McFadden, (3) Troy Smith. Please don't get me started on Troy Smith, who is the 2006 version of Geno Torretta: A Heisman leader simply for being the QB of the overwhelming No. 1 team. (More recent analogue: Troy Smith = Ken Dorsey.)

I am amused how Fox calls its games now "hand-picked" because they didn't let NBC steal it with the flex scheduling.

Could Wisconsin have been lucky enough to duck OSU and Michigan in the same season? Obviously with the traditional rivalry, those 2 will play every year, but conceivable you could have 2 Big Ten teams both undefeated. Then what woulda happened, geez!

Maybe UNC shouldn't have been 2 in the first place, then Butler "only" being 19 doesn't seem as weird. How about UConn, drops 2 spots for no apparent reason. Will Calhoun go all Charlie Weis on the media?

I just don't see how Florida is getting robbed of playing the title game. USC has played a much tougher sked and performed much better. USC doesn't have any of the creampuffs that Florida loads up on with its schedule.

Florida has been woefully underperforming for more than a month now. Plus, they played a I-AA team in November, which is embarrassing.

To barely beat Vandy, South Carolina (at home), Florida State and Georgia does not bode well for their profile. Much like ND, Florida has no one to blame but themselves.

The whole Irvin thing shows how far ESPN has fallen in the past several years. I mean do they even show sports or highlights any more?Someone at that place needs to be held accountable, but I am betting that no one will be.

Irvin is an idiot but apparently he has a good blackmail picture of some ESPN exec that manages to keep him employeed.

The CURRENT Irvin story in un-politically correct easy to understand terms is that Irvin last week on Dan Patrick's radio show said Tony Romo is a good athlete because he has some black history in his family tree.

Now imagine how stupid Irvin is and how poorly he speaks the english language and you can imagine how he said it.

He doesn't look like he's that type of an athlete, but he is. He is, man. I don't know if some brother down in that line somewhere, I don't know who saw what or where, his great-great-great-great-grandma ran over in the 'hood or something went down.

If great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandma pulled one of them studs up out of the barn, "Come on in here for a second," you know, and they go out and work in the yard. You know, back in the day.

Irvin is a buffoon. I just heard his "apology" on the Dan Patrick show. What a joke.

The comments alone weren't that bad - it's just that if a white guy (say, Steve Young) had said something like that in reverse, you can be sure Scoop Jackson and Jesse Jackson and whoever else would be calling for his head. And for ESPN to fire his ass. And he would get fired.

You all know I'm a big Florida fan, and even I'm not willing to argue that they're better than USC. Michigan? Maybe. But not USC. Not right now.

(Meanwhile, I really hope that Michigan gets LSU in the Rose Bowl. Maybe if LSU beats Michigan by more than the spread that Ohio State beat Michigan the SEC will finally earn some respect. And LSU can do it, too.)

Unfortunately, if -- big "if" -- Florida can get by Arkansas, their likely destination is the Sugar Bowl vs. Notre Dame. UF would have to demolish ND more than USC or Michigan did, which they just can't do. This Florida team simply doesn't blow teams out. At best, they are the 3rd best team in the country (which is probably the lowest any one-loss SEC team should ever be).

McFadden is more talented of a RB than Smith is as a QB. McFadden is more valuable to his team than Smith is to his. And Arkansas surely would be many wins worse without McFadden than Ohio State would be without Smith (see Arkansas' blowout loss at home to USC...without McFadden). Put it this way: McFadden is the ARK's best running back AND its best quarterback. Can't say that about Smith.

After watching Jarret for the first time live and seeing his ability to create seperation and then catch the ball AND THEN run with it, he is plain sick. His hands are absurd and he is a solid sized WR. I can see him going places.

I think Florida matches up with ND well, good defense, but lacks offensive fire power. If ND is able to stay close with teams and not have to worry about out scoring its opponents in a shoot out, it can focus its attack and score often enough to beat a team that is unable to put them away early and force them to go to an all out arial assault. I think Florida is on the same tier as ND - not up there with USC, Michigan and OSU, but right behind them.

I was in pain most of the UGA-GT game. The announcers were talking about how well UGA was covering CJ, except that all the plays they pointed to were passes into triple coverage and/or thrown "in the vicinity" of CJ. And I'm being very generous here. Ball was as scatter-armed as I've ever seen him.

I'm going to agree with all of you singing the praises of Calvin Johnson, who will be the best player to NOT get any Heisman consideration, because he's on a non-Top 10 team, he's dependent on his sorry QB and -- let's face it -- because he plays for GA Tech. But don't think NFL scouts aren't watching. (By the way, that was just MY ballot. I'm quite sure Troy Smith WILL win.)

Michigan would eat Florida up. I must have lost my orange and blue glasses, but FLorida hasn't impressed all season. They win, sure..which is impressive in one sense. But at no time have I felt that they could beat the elite teams. That's right...Georgia, Tennessee, Florida State are NOT elite teams. LSU and Arkansas are both better than Florida.

Most QBs could do pretty good starting for OSU this year - the talent level there is extraordinary, just as most QBs could have done exceptional with that Miami team. What makes Troy Smith a very good QB is his ability to make all the average plays and then make that one extraordinary play a game. He works the OSU system very well (tons of dump off passes to outlet receivers, strong running game, lets his play makers make plays) but also can have that one downfield throw a game that heismann voters see on the highlight real to go with the good numbers he puts up because of the players around him. Hes got a strong arm, is mobile in the pocket and makes good decisions. Do I think he will be a good NFL QB? Eh, maybe with the right supporting cast. In college he is a great QB though (not the best, but pretty damn good).

If Troy Smith was 3 to 4 inches taller there would be no discussion about his potential on the next level. His arm is much stronger than Quinn's and Dan since you are comparing him to these guys way stronger than both Toretta and Dorsey.

We all know that you dislike guys that get a lot of hype (JJ Redick) and Smith has gotten plenty but were is the put downs of Brady Quinn? If you watched any OSU games the last 3 years it is amazing the progression that Smith has made from a scrambler who could pass to a guy who runs only when necessary. Smith will walk away with the Heisman and be a quality NFL QB. Herbstreit compared him to Drew Brees during the Michigan/Ohio St. game and I think if he continues to make progress the way he has he could be that type of player in the NFL.

Daddy-O said... I just don't see how Florida is getting robbed of playing the title game. USC has played a much tougher sked and performed much better. USC doesn't have any of the creampuffs that Florida loads up on with its schedule.

So much tougher that USC's is ranked 1 and Florida's is ranked 3rd...

Florida has been woefully underperforming for more than a month now. Plus, they played a I-AA team in November, which is embarrassing.

If woefully performing means going 5-0, I'll take it. As for the I-AA team, blame that on the addition of the 12th game, you won't see that again.

To barely beat Vandy, South Carolina (at home), Florida State and Georgia does not bode well for their profile. Much like ND, Florida has no one to blame but themselves.

and USC gets a pass for one score games against Wazzou (6-6), Washington (5-7), Arizona State (7-5), and not to mention a loss to a 8-4 Oregon State team.

Where was this when Florida beat (now 5th ranked and no 1 defense) LSU 23-10 and nice cushiony wins over Kentucky (7-5) and Alabama (6-6.

Do I think Florida should go over USC right now? NO!

It just bugs the SHIT out of me that people are making sound like Florida is a pile of doo doo because they've gone 11-1 playing 9 Bowl Eligible teams and not allowing more than 21 points in a game but once (thanks to a garbage TD on a fumble recovery when we ran the CAl/Stanford play against Auburn)

ND knocked themselves out of it because they lost by 26 points at home to Michigan. Florida lost by 4 (garbage TD again) to the 11th ranked team in the country, at their place, with a very questionable tuck rule call.

You are the king of instant history. Jarrett as Heisman #1 - you've got to be kiddin'!!! He's an amazing talent (as is C.Johnson) but they haven't even had the best years of any receivers in CFB much less any player in CFB this year. Heisman doesn't go to the most talented but to the most oustanding player in CFB this season.

Had to change my name after that amazing comeback that Vince led for the hometown team. As a Titans fan this is a tough part of the year. They are 4-7 and they are improving each week and they could possibly win 3 or 4 of their last 5 games. This worries me because by winning they are moving further down the draft board and could miss out on studs like Calving Johnson and Jarrett. I would love to see Vince have something that McNair never had and that is a great WR. If they could get one than Vince will be creating all kinds of havoc in the NFL for years.

If the name on the front of Butler's jerseys said something along the lines of St. John's or Minnesota or North Carolina St. they would be absolutely be top 5 right now if not #1. Instead it's a small school in Indianapolis so they're 19th. But take a look at their schedule and when they're 33-0 and a #1 seed I'll laugh. If there ever was an inertia induced outrage that Dan could rail against this is it.

-- Team X gets no respect despite some quality wins. Their losses were closer than the score indicates, because some unlucky things happened. (Never mind the lucky things that did happen, those were due to skill)

-- Team Y is so overrated. They barely beat Team Z at home. Ok, they won by 24, but it was really closer than that until the final few minutes.

A fan of Team Y would write almost the exact same posting, but with the opposite view.

The problem is that fans can't be objective about it. It's human nature to look for evidence that supports the theories you already have, and to ignore evidence that weakens them. If you are a fan of Team X, you probably think they are good and that rival Team Y is not good. When you watch a game involving these teams, you latch onto the plays that support your theory and dismiss those that do not. It's not even a conscious process most of the time.

I think that USC showed they are a very good team on Saturday (if not a runaway #2), but do they really deserve a shot at the National Title after losing to an unranked team? Is that really fair to Florida or Arkansas who have played tough schedules and only lost to very good ranked teams? Methinks not...no mulligans in college football. On the other hand they are easily the second (or third) best team in the country right now.

The Cowboys just dumped Vanderjerkt. Ladies and gentleman I give you the real life Ray Finkle. Watch your back Hunter Smith! Although the Vanderjerkt as Einhorn potential is hilarious since he already wears an earring. Should be a smooth transition for him.

They really need to clarify what all these awards mean. If the Heisman is Most Outstanding then give it to the Most Outstanding. If it's for the Most Outstanding (on a top 5 team) then just frikkin say it. Larry Fitzgerald should have one the Heisman. There was no doubt he was most outstanding that year. This year it should be Darren McFadden, absolutely the most impressive player in the nation. Adrian Peterson would up there too if he didn't get hurt. But we'll get another token Heisman winner in Troy Smith this year. He is a very good player but certainly not the best in the nation.

Yeah the guy who is #53 in the nation in receiving yards and is outside the top 120 in yards per catch deserves the Heisman trophy.

I know he missed basically two full games, but that is laughable.

Troy Smith is a winner. He makes plays. He is possibly the most "clutch" player to ever play in the Big 10. When he has the ball at the end, you always feel confident that he will pull it out. On top of that, he has 30 TDs and only 5 INTs.

Which is it, Dan? Is ND overrated or are they awesome? You can't trash them all year then take an opponent that happened to play well against them the last week of the year and give them the Heisman. It's a fucking insult.

Troy Smith for Heisman, then Darren McFadden an obscenely distant 2nd, then Brady Quinn in 3rd.

I know Florida beat LSU, but from watching the teams play...I feel LSU is better at this point.

One thing I don't understand is how we're not getting more credit for this. Because LSU wins sexy it's become cool to say they're the best team in the SEC. Which is fine--maybe they are. But UF beat them pretty convincingly once upon a time.

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DanShanoff.com is a sports-blog spin-off of my long-time ESPN.com column, "The Daily Quickie." Anchored by an early-morning post of must-know topics, the blog is updated frequently throughout the day with new posts and user comments.